Written in Blood
by Mercedes Wolfcry
Summary: Mayuri and Retsu have come together to create a powerful being, created from the captains of 6,10,11,and13, but they need a host for this to happen, only their in for more then one suprise. What does Aizen want with the child? oc/?
1. Blood pact

Mayuri Kurotsuchi sat across from Retsu Unohana as he contemplated how to approach the fourth division Capitan with his idea, "I know that we haven't gotten along well and often quarrel but I would like to make peace for a while for I have an idea that could possibly help the soul society fight Aizen and his arrancar! It is medically scientific so I was curious if you would like to help."

"Have you taken this idea to Head Captain Yamamoto?" At Mayuri's nod, Retsu leaned forward in her seat slightly and raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Capitan Kurostuchi, I am leader of squad four the healing division, and most of your experiments are harmed in ways almost beyond my repair. Why should I help you?"

"For the good of the soul society, and because Head Captain ordered it to be conducted."

"I will consider it if it wont bring physical harm to anyone in this experiment. What is your idea anyways?"

"No harm will befall anyone I can guarantee you that." Mayuri slowly grinned, "Unohana, I have been pondering this for a long while now; what if we combined four Capitan's into one? Would it be strong enough to defeat Aizen? So I came up with the idea to have a human host, a female one, carry a child of four captains to a term of six months-"

Unohana interrupted Mayuri swiftly, "Six months? Why six and not nine? Do all of the captains know of this?"

Glaring at her briefly, He continued after answering her question, "No one but us knows, nor will they know for a while yet. Growth hormones are the key for a quicker birth, I would have gone to three months but it would have ultimately been bad for the fetus and the mother. Also, this will make the child mature and age faster. Ageing should stop at eighteen though; Aizen isn't going to wait forever now is he." Briefly clearing his throat and swallowing, he continued again, "Now as I was saying; the only problems I have found, is that only one female in the entire thirteen squads is able to carry that child: but I don't know whom. And, how would I combine the Capitan's into one strong being, nor do I know who is compatible."

Unohana sat quietly while she contemplated this, "Well Kurotsuchi, get DNA samples from the captains and see which are compatible. Once you have that done, figure out a way to make a liquid that I could inject into the women of the quart guard squads and see whom it takes to. Of course, you must also inform me which Captains will be in the experiment, so that we can have them take care of the host who is to bare the child."

Putting a hand to his chin, Mayuri frowned as he voiced his thoughts, "I've already paired up the Captains who were compatible. Ukitake, Kuchiki, Kenpachi, and Hitsugaya were the compatible donors. The serum has also been prepared. You just need to inform the Captains as soon as conception is confirmed and administrate the serum to the female shinigami."

"So you would have done this if I didn't help you?"

"Pretty much." Pulling out a document, and a quill with no ink, Mayuri offered her the quill and paper.

Reading over it quickly, also knoticing it was written in blood and there were several different lines for signing, she made a small cut and started signing under Mayuri's name with her blood.

"Thank you Captain Unohana." He stood quickly and offered her a hand up.

Unohana gave him a look and rolled her eyes before she stood as he had, without taking the offered hand, "You will have the serum in my office by ten tomorrow morning, correct?"

"Yes, Yes," he waved her off and turned to leave as he through over his shoulder, "and remember Unohana, no one may know of this, even your nosey lieutenant. If you do tell, I will know, for your blood is bound to the contract until the infant is born."


	2. The injection

Pushing a lock of hair behind my ear, and readjusting my ear buds as one of my favorite country songs switched on, I dipped the quill into the ink and once more began to fill out the Captains paperwork that he never finishes. Lucky for me, the eleventh division does not get much paper work, for most of it is sent to the tenth division to be filled out there. It used to be that all of the elevenths paperwork was sent to the tenth, but I started working on paperwork once I got to ninth seat. No one knows that I do any form of paperwork, because I do it in my tree at night when others sleep and turn it in directly to the tenth Captain himself. His lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, had told me that he greatly appreciates it and he's not as grouchy when there's less work from eleventh.

'Sometimes I wish that Zaraki would just do his paperwork. Its so annoying at how fight oriented he is.'

This time around though, I took a little more then half of the paperwork so Rangiku could be let off earlier so she could come to the fourth division with me. Captain Unohana sent out a message to each of the divisions saying that all female soul reapers had to come in to receive an injection to help with something. Looking over the paper I had just finished, I looked to my watch. It read 4:57A.M. Sighing, I continued to finish the last few papers that were left undone.

"With you by my side  
I will fight and defend  
I'll fight and defend, Yeah yeah~" I quietly sang along with the song that was blaring in my ear as I signed 'Zaraki Kenpachi' to the bottom of the last paper. Looking at my watch again, I saw that it was 6:40A.M. so I hopped out of my tree and started walking to the tenth division, while slipping my MP4 into my pocket. Its not that far of a walk, since the elevenths right next to the tenth, so I just walked right in, holding my stack of papers. I turned sevral corners and ended up at the door that lead to the Captains office.

I knocked, and received a stressed "Come in…" as I opened the door and stooped slightly to enter, as I did not want to hit my head.

"I have the papers I finished from the eleventh division, sir, I hope you don't mind me interupting you to give these to you." Walking up to Captain Hitsugaya's desk and setting the neatly stacked papers down, I alowed myself to fall into a deep bow as I appologised. Standing up, I turned to leave as I had done so many tother times, when his voice sounded out.

"Have a seat, I wish to speak with you." I pulled up a chair to the front of his dest and sat on it, giving the Captain my full attention, "You did more papers then you normaly do. Why?"

Folding my hands in my lap, I explained, "I figured that since you do a lot of papers usually, if I could cut down your ammount of paperwork from the elventh that it might help keep stress for you down just a bit, sir."

Folding his hands under his chin, Captain Hitsugaya fixed me with an icy stare, "You've been helping me with elevenths paperwork for- how many moths now?"

"I believe three now, sir."

"Three hm? Ok, so you've been helping for three or so months now, and I have still yet to learn your name or your rank in the eleventh. So may I ask, what is your name and rank?"

"Im Mercedes Nova Corvette, ninth seat of the eleventh division," I replied, before adding, "sir."

He arched a white eyebrow at me, "May I ask why you chose to do paperwork instead of fight like the rest of your squad?"

"Well someone has to do it, and im satasfied with were I've been placed."

"Thank you, then, Mercedes, for helping me with the division paperwork."

I smiled slightly at him, "It is no problem at all, Captain Hitsugaya… May I go now? Captain Zaraki starts drills in a couple of minutes…"

"You can go."

"Thank you." Getting out of my seat, I headed out the door, and back to my home ground.

Standing in line with the men, and standing next to Ikkaku, I began doing drills with Setsuna. Elohcin, my other soul slayer, was in in my duffle bag along with some other things. We had to be in perfect sync with each other, or risk hitting each other with our katana's. '_Swing left. Swing right. Upper cut. Lower cut. Outward thrust.' _The mantra ran through my mind over and over again as we repeated this for an hour.

"Allright you weaklings! Fifty seven laps around the divisions walls in a full out sprint! Now!" The Captain bellowed. "Ikkaku, Yumichika, record which ones last the longest."

'_Fifty seven laps, that's not a lot. Its about what I could run when I was alive'_

Calmly scooting to the wall, I glared at Captain Kenpachi for a moment, before starting in a dead run right behind the mob of people running. I pulled out a scrunchy as I ran and put my hair into a bouncing, frizzy pony tail. As soon as I was done, two big ape like men fell back to run on ether side of me. Not feeling comefortable, I sped up just a bit. So did they. Speeding up again, my long legs eating up the distance, I took the lead and just kept getting distance between the group of eleventh members and me.

I put myself into a daze so I just avoided things and kept running while I pondred things. '_I wonder why Captain Unohana wants to give us these injections. I wonder if there bad… hm.'_

'_What if its to prevent some sort of new sickness! Could we die if we don't get it?'_

'_What if it has the oposite effect on me because I allready have a sickness? Wold I die or just get sicker?'_

' _Thinking of my sickness… I wonder why it hasnt acted up since I intered the soul society. Did I get cured when I died?_

'_Now my brain hurts… I think I'll have ramen for diner tonight… nah, maybe I'll just get some sleep for once.'_

"Damn! That girl 's the only one left!" Someone shouted, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Well, she's pretty. Hey Ikkaku, isnt she the ninth seat?"

"Now that you mention it Yumichika, I think it is…"

"Hey, Madarame!" I shouted to Ikkaku.

"What?" He called back.

"What lap am I on? I lost count a while ago."

"Um… fifty sixth I think."

'_Only one more to go.'_ "Thanks!"

I put my legs into full swing as I poured on the speed to cross the finish line. Which happened to be next to the gate. Which happened to have some come through it at that moment. Which meant I could ether speed up and hope to make it past before they do, slow do-scracth that, I'd end up sliding into them, or jump over them and hope to land it. I chose option three.

**KERSPLAT! **

I ended up face first over the finish line, and heard a moan. My first though was '_oh shit! Did I hit someone?_' then I realized I had moaned. So I got back up and rubbed a sore spot on my forehead. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Captain Unohana standing there with a shocked expression on her face.

Immediately I though I had hit her on accedent, "I'm sorry Captain Unohana, I didn't hit you did I?"

"N-Not at all. You startled me yes, but no damage was done. Are you all right? You took a pretty hard fall…"

"Im fine to be honest." I hopped up and walked over to her, "May I ask who your looking for? I may be able to help you on that."

Unohana waved her hand dismisivly, "I was just here to see if you were ok. You missed you appointent." I looked at my watch and sure enough, my appointment was an hour ago.

"I am soo sorry! I lost track of what I wa sdoing and we were doing drills…"

Again she waved it off, "Its ok, now will you come with me so we can get that taken care of?"

"Yes ma'am." And so we flash stepped to the fourth.

Walking down the halls as we slowed from our flash step, we talked quietly, "So Ms. Corvette, hows your health doing? I know that you had some problems with it in the acadamy, and when you were alive."

"Well Unohana, please call me Mercy, and its doing fine at the moment but it unpredictable." I answered as we rounded a corner.

"All right Mercy. You know, ive heard form Captain Hitsugaya that you take a good portion of the eleventh division paperwork and do it yourself. He said it's a big help to him." We walked through a set of doors that lead to the lobby area.

"Really? How come he was in? Is he sick?"

"No, no, not at all. He brought in his lieutenant. She was passed out from too much alcohol and is in recovery right now."

'_That's why she didn't come for me this after noon!_' "I hope she feels better soon." I retightened my hair tie as Unohana opened a door that lead to another corridor of hallways, "So why do only the girl soul reapers have to have this shot thing?" I asked as I twirled a bit of my bangs on my finger.

"Im very sorry," she smiled at me and I felt a cold chill run down my spine, "but its strictly confidential." I left it at that.

"You know," She said as she pulled out a huge ass suringe and a large needle case, "this does have to go into your stomach right?"

I sat down on the hospital bed thing before her question reached my ears,"Ok… Wait, What!" I asked as the question clicked in my head.

Starting towards me, she said"It has to be put into the lower part of your torso."

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, please cant you just put it in my arm or something?" I squeaked as I scrambled off the bed and dodged to the other side of the room, away from Unohana who stood with the needle.

"It has to go there, dear. It wont hurt I promise." Unohana said soothingly as she approached me.

I was far from soothed. "Hell no! I don't like needles and I sure as _hell_ don't like 'em down there!" I once again dodged to the other side of the room.

"Isane," Unohana called out and said girl came into the room, "Please restrain Ms. Corvette. She is being most uncoopritive."

"Yes ma'am." And with that, Isane lunged at me.

I dodged and fled from the room. I made it down about two halls before I crashed into something hard. Again my first thought was '_who the fuck opens a door in the middle of a hallway?'_ but the 'door' turned out to be a wall. A dead end. _'_aw_ shit!'_

"There she is!" I heard Isane shout as I turned around to escape, only to find that my escape rout was blocked by Isane herself with Unohana right next to her.

"Fuck!" I started running, intending to jump over them and crash out the window behind them. But I think that Unohana saw what I was gonna do, because she murmered something to Isane and when I jumped, ifelt two hands grab my ankles.

**KERSPLAT!**

I was on my face again, with a weight on my back that I knew to be Isane so I ceased my struggles. I could see Unohana standing in the background smiling sweetly through her reflection in the window. So close yet so far… I heard a third set of foot steps coming in from the left. So I angled my head to look. Low and behold… it was Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He scared the living hell out of me. My struggles reknewed.

"My, my, my, what do we have here Unohana? A reluctant patient?" Mayuri said has he looked down at me. He could probably see the panic in my eyes, and by the looks of it: he was loving every minute of it. Then I heard that stupid sound of shoes coming fro the right. I didn't look because Mayri decided to smile creepily at me. If I wasn't sure Unohana would stick me with that needle, I think I would have fainted from fear.

"I suppose you could call her that, but I think your scaring her even more Kurotsuchi." She gave me a knowing smile a I freaked out even more.

Mayuri squated down even closer to my face with his grin still there, "Girl, am I scary?"

Looking at his face, which was white and black and his yellow hose teath, I also looked at the fact that he dosent have ears and he had friggen long fingernails, I said, "H-Hella yes!"

His smile faded and he glared at me. It made me wana curl up and die, "Very well." He stood up and turned to leave as he adressed Unohana, "I am very busy so I will converse with you later."

The feet that were coming to the right, stopped as soon as they turned the corner, and a timid voice asked, "D-Do you need any help C-Captain Unohana?"

I fliped myself and Isane over so that I faced the right, and I snarled at the people watching, including the small black haired boy to offered to help. Unohana gave me a disproving look as Isane move a hand up to cover my mouth, "Of course Hanataro. Could you please hold her hands down? I need Isane to get her legs so that I can have access to her lower torso." She also took into accountance that we were in a hallway and looked at one of the empty rooms near were we were. "Isane, can you drag her in there please? I would rather do this in private then in the hallway."

So here I am, being dragged down the hall with an iron grom from Isane keeping me from moving. I didn't mind the dragging so much, only when they stopped did I send Unohana a glare as Hanataro moved to take my hands. I did not want to hurt the poor kid, so I just lightly pulled as Isane captured my fighting feet. I looked up at Hanataro's friendly face and sighed. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, the needle isnt that long. Its only about four and a half inches!"

I voiced my thoughs as I looked at the siringe that Unohana had in her hands, "Holy mother fucking shit!"

I felt a sharp pinch from Isane on my foot, "Language !"

I just looked away from the needle and back at Hanataro as he giggled slightly and asked me something, "So what division are you from?"

I gulped as I heard Unohana's foot steps, "U-Um I-I'm from the eleventh division…"

He stiffened as fear entered his eyes, "O-Ok u-um… I've n-never seen you when the others beat me up…"

The muscles in my stomach clenched as the metal slid through some tender spots and I looked up at him and stated, "I don't believe in picking on the people who heal you, because if you about to die, its their choice to heal you or let you perish."

Hanataro smiled at me and visably relaxed while I tensed as Unohana had to pull the needle back out because she missed the designated spot, "That, Ms. Corvette," He said, "Is a good motto to follow."

'_I swear that she's trying to make me cry!' _"Please call me Mercy, I hate being called Ms Corvette… I feel like I would be married if someone called me that."

"Ok, then Mercy, call me Hana."

"It's a deal Hana." I hissed loudly when Unohana hit a certain spot with her needle. I felt thhe liquid inside the siringe flowing into me. But it felt odd… not like its going into my blood but, more or less into one of my organs. So I asked, "Is it supposed to feel weird Captain Unohana?"

I winced and looked up at as she tugged the needle out with a curious expression, "Weird how?"

"I dunno," I tried to explain, "it tingles and feels really weird. Hey, can you let me up now?"

Hana and Isane let me up and Unohana allowed me to use her hand to pull myself up while she thought for a moment, "Well, I believe that you should come see me if your expiencing any sort of side affects. Those include nausia, vomiting, chest pain, and bloating to the abdomin."

"Ok… so im free to go?"

"Yes."

"Allright!" I dashed out while calling over my shoulder, "Nice to meet you Hana!"

"Really? I didn't feel anything at all after the shot." I was walking next to Rangiku, who had just been let out of the fourth a couple hours later, as we walked to our respective divisions.

"Yeah, it felt kinda ticklish really. Kinda like something was moving around in my stomach."

"Ooh~ that sounds really creepy!"

"Yeah, I suppose…"

"Its not that bad!" She grabbed a hold of my arm, and began to drag me into her division as we passed the ninth, "Come on lets…" I saw her suddenly fall, and cought her. Her breath smelled like alcohol so she must have been drinking something…

"Well," I stated as I tossed her over my shoulder, making her huge boobs bounce on my back, and contined walking, "lets get you into bed."

'_Damn, I don't know were her room is. Oh were off to see the Captain~'_

Strolling down the familiar hallways, I adgusted Rangiku so she wouldent fall off when I stooped to get under the door way. I sighed as I opened the Captains door without knocking, and stooped to get under it like I had done earleir in the morning.

"What in the seven hells are you doing here Mercedes? And why is Rangiku here, I thought she was in the fourth division…"

"Well," I started as I laid the lieutenant down onto the sofa that rested in the wider part of the room, "we were walking back to the divisions, because aparently they released her, and she colasped… but her breath smells like liqure so she probably was drinking something. I figured that rest would do here some good." I finished my statement by floping down on the floor and leaning agenst the back of the couch, with one knee bracing me up, as I faced Hitsugaya.

"You didn't bring her to her room why?"

I glared heatedly at him for a moment and then just tucked my face into my arm as I sighed with a sudden exaustion, "I don't know were her room is."

Sighing, he stood up and sauntered over to me and took a seat next to me as I scooted over, "You sound exhausted."

Slumping down slightly, I responded slowly,"I am, I think it's a side affect of this stupid shot that Captain Unohana made us girls take…"

Standing, Hitsugaya gave me a hand up and gave me directions, "Go back to your room and get some sleep. You wont be much good to anyone of you cant function. Sleep well Mercedes."

"But Captain…"

"Sleep Mercedes."

So I trudged back to my tree. I sleep in a tree because im the only female soul reaper in the eleventh, other then the vice captain, that's actualy femanin, so its safer to sleep in a tree then have a chance at getting raped in the middle of the night. Also, the tree is towards the end of our division grounds and what not. I stripped into my blue and black pyajamas in the divisions bathroom and brushed my hair out before setting it into a tribraid for the night. Climbing into the tree, I sat Setsuna across two branches next to Elohcin that worked for holding the two katana, I reached a wide set branch and pulled my blanket, sleeping bag, and pillow from their folded position next to my duffle bag. Unfolding them, I laid the sleeping bag down onto the branch, placing the pillow over the top, and pulled the blanket up as I laid down for the rest of the day. See, no one knew that I slept up here, so they never knew were to find me because I, unlike some others, could almost completely hide my spiritual pressure.

'_I'm so tired…._' That was my last plausible thought for the moment.


	3. Reapers and hollows: eleventh style

I had woken sometime earlier then I was supposed to get up, to dash to the bathroom and loose what ever was left in my stomach. Then I had gone back to bed after rinsing my mouth and having a cup of tea.

I awoke again to tightness in my lungs and, blearily, noted a Hell butterfly landing on my nose, and a message blaring in my ear, "**Corvette! Get your fucking lazy ass down to the kitchen; it's your job to cook breakfast! Were hungry!**" Kenpachi's voice sounded out.

I coughed briefly for a moment then grumbled, "Damn, I forgot…" Scrambling out of my make shift bed, cracking my back, I slipped my sleep cloths off and struggled into my uniform. I grabbed Elohcin and jumped out of the tree to dash into the division building. Slipping Elohcin into the obi that held my pants up, I darted into the kitchen to get cooking supplies. When you cook for a little over two hundred and fifty people, it takes forever to cook.

Mixing some pancake mix, I darted over to the cabinets to grab a couple pots and pans and a spatula and spoons, then dashed over to the mixing bowel and brought it over to the stove. Pouring the batter into the pan, I began making the pancakes while cracking eggs for fried eggs. Next I had to do hash browns, bacon, and sausage… still so much to do; but luckily, help came in the form of the fifth seat.

"Hello Ms. Corvette-" Yumichika cheerily said as he walked into the kitchen with a wave.

I latched onto his arm and ragged him to the pancakes, "You are in charge of cooking these."

"But your-" he started to object, but I cut him off.

Glaring at him, I waggled my index finger at him, "I'm very busy with the other stuff I need to cook, so if you want me to ever help you with a stubborn knot in your hair or split ends or make your _favorite_ food again, I do sagest you cook."

He went bug-eyed and began to work furiously without another comment.

I started the bacon and sausage, and then began working on the hash browns because it takes a while for the bacon and what not to cook. Grating a bunch of potatoes with a cheese grater, I stuck them in a pan and set it on high while I seasoned them. Hurrying back over to the pan with the sausage and stuff, I turned it off and set them onto two large separate plates. Streaking back to the hash brown wad, I pulled it out of the frying pan and splattered it onto one of our huge plates then set it aside and checked my watch… 5:45 it read.

'_Damn Kenpachi! He fucking woke me up earlier then he needed too. Breakfast doesn't start cooking 'till six!_' I fixed up a couple humongous bowels of mixed fruit and set it next to the other stuff as I tried to blow off some steam.

The door creaked open, and a bleary eyed and disoriented Kenpachi stumbled in with Ikkaku on his heals. They flopped down at the kitchen table and Kenpachi grumbled, "Corvette, why the hell are you cookin in the kitchen now? Its not six yet-" He yawned, "and ya woke me an Ikkaku up with all this racket."

I glared at him and flipped him off, "You the one who sent me the fuckin' hell bug to wake me up at this damned hour!"

'_I'm this close to just making them not get any food_'

Ikkaku, had fallen back asleep but when the Captain lurched up from his chair, he had rattled the table and cause Ikkaku to jerk awake when Kenpachi growled, "I don't remember doing any thin like that! You better watch your mouth girl, or-"

I snapped and did what I had done to Yumichika, except it did it a whole lot worse, "You'll kill me? I don't think so. If you kill me, then you wont have anyone to get rid of your hangovers or make quality food that wont make you live in the bathroom." Ikkaku's Indignant 'hey!' sounded as I continued on my rant, "Now you and Ikkaku can bring this food out into the mess hall, or I wont put anything you like in there at all." Seeing him about to resist, I crossed my arms and locked my leg in the universal sign that women use on men all around the universe, "Or make the tea you use to get rid of hangovers."

Kenpachi gave me an owl eyed look along with Ikkaku saying, "Well, damn. Looks like were sunk. I could use some of the stuff now, we drank a lot last night."

"Yumichika?"

"Yes Ms. Corvette?"

"Can you help them?" I smiled sweetly at him, which cause him to shiver slightly, " I'll finish this up, and stop with the Ms. crap. It makes me feel like I'm married."

"Yes Corvette." He said obediently, and went to help the guys load up stuff and not drop it.

"Captain Zaraki! Remember, it's my day off!"

I heard a muffled "Yeah, yeah."

I sighed, and walked over to get a kettle to boil some water. While it was boiling, I got down some of my stuff for my recipe, which included a small pinch of chocolate, jasmine tea, small pinch of rose leafs, honey, and some ginseng. It helps with hangovers, the flu, and overall general aches. Reaching up, I grabbed two cups; and on a second thought, I grabbed another cup.

'_Maybe I'll have some too, I feel a bit under the weather. Maybe its from that shot Unohana gave me?_'

While the tea was boiling, I sat out the rest of the food, which consisted of rice, oatmeal, and lots of cereal; along with the other stuff that I had made. Kenpachi came back in along with Ikkaku and grabbed the rest of the stuff, then headed back out to the mess hall.

TWIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAA

The pot whistled loudly, and I took it off the burner. Putting the stuff I set out inside each of the cups, I poured the boiling hot water into the cups and waited a moment for the stuff to dissolve. As soon as it was dissolved, I put them onto a small tray and took it out to the mess hall.

The three she had made help earlier were sitting in their chairs eating, as other soul reapers were slowly coming into the hall. Lieutenant Yachiru was sitting next to Kenpachi, and was gorging herself on some of the hash browns she made. Handing the two men the drinks they had requested, she took hers and left the hall to get some paperwork done.

"I am so sorry Captain Hitsugaya!" I apologized to him, " I had forgotten that it was my turn to cook for the division this morning, and it took me awhile to get the paperwork."

Hitsugaya raised his hand, silencing my apologies, as he ran his other through his tussled white locks of hair, "No, no, its ok, at least you got them turned in on time…" He sighed, and blushed as his stomach growled.

Laughing lightly, I asked, "Do you want something to eat? I can cook you something if you like."

"If it wouldn't trouble you…" he paused, " then yes, I would like that."

"Good, then please follow me." I grinned sneakily, "I hid some of my favorites in the micro wave, so it should still be warm. You can eat that if you like, or I can make you something else."

Heaving him self up, and dusting off his captain's coat, he responded, "Alright."

So we were off to my division, which was a considerably short walk. Upon entering my kitchen though, I found it to be stacked neatly with plates. Sighing heavily, I walked to the microwave and set the time for sixty seconds as Hitsugaya sat down in the chair at the table. I leaned on the counter tiredly, and rubbed the bridge of my nose as the stupid nausea returned full force.

"Are you all right Mercedes?"

Looking back at Hitsugaya, I gave him a pathetic smile, "Not really, sir, I think I got more of the symptoms from Captain Unohana's shot she gave me. Would you like some tea?"

"Um," he blinked slowly, "sure?"

"M'kay." Pulling his food out of the microwave, I gave him a fork since it would be easier to use, and then set to work laying out my stuff for tea.

"Are you sure its safe to eat?" he timidly poked a hash brown piece with his fork, "It looks kinda like it went bad…"

"Hash browns are supposed to look like that, and if Lieutenant Yachiru will eat them willingly, then they're safe to eat."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude."

I waved him off and grinned at him lightly, "Yeah, with the elevenths reputation, I'm not surprised with how you reacted. Were not notoriously known for being good cookers, just being ruffians."

Taking a bite, Hitsugaya's eyes widened quite a bit, before he swallowed and took another bite, and my grin widened along with his eyes, "But I do say: I'm a _damn_ fine cook."

"I… Agree… completely…" he said between bites and chewing. Putting a cup of tea on the table in front of him, I took my own and sat across from him while I sipped mine slowly, savoring the bite that the ginseng brings and the sweetness of the jasmine. Reaching out to grab his glass, he met my amused gaze and took a tentative sip of his tea. Hitsugaya's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he did so and then he asked the most random question, "Is this a store bought recipe or did you make it yourself?"

"Um…" I was kinda startled. I hadn't expected him to say anything, but I responded anyways, "Well the base for the tea is jasmine so that's store bought, everything else is all a secret home recipe my mother taught me how to make. She said it could do special things, I just had to find out what exactly."

"Your mother?"

"Yep."

"So… what can it do?"

I played innocent for a moment, "What can what do?"

"The tea. You said your mother told you it could do something special, what was it?"

Putting my cup of tea down, I put a hand to my chin and thought for a moment, "Well, it can get rid of hangovers, help when someone has the flu, and generally help with aching muscles. There are still some kinks yet to be worked out of it, but soon I will perfect the recipe."

"Does the eleventh ever use this tea?"

I crossed my knees and cheerily replied, "Oh yes, I just made a batch this morning for Captain Zaraki, and Ikkaku. They got really drunk and had horrible hangovers."

"Interesting… Well, I thank you for the meal Mercedes," he stood up and nodded is head appreciatively, "but I have more paperwork to attend to. So I will see you later, and can you drop this off to Captain Ukitake for me? Its important."

"Yes sir."

Third seats Kiyone and Sentaro, who took the message from me, had found me and now I was on my way back to my tree to get some more sleep. I was oddly tired, my lungs were sore which meant that my sickness was gona act up for the first time in the soul society, and I was nauseous. So I was hoping to get some sleep since Zaraki woke me up early this morning. But this was not to be. As I turned the corner to walk into my division, I came face to face with Captain Kuchiki.

"Ah! Captain Kuchiki," I backed up and bowed deeply to him, "is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, but would you kindly escort me to your Captain? I have some unpleasant matters to bring up with him."

Standing up straight again, I nodded and motioned for him to follow me. I went through the gates, and headed over to the entrance of the main building. Last time I heard, Zaraki was having a free for all fight in the training grounds that was behind the main building. Silently, Kuchiki sped up so he walked next to me and I glanced at him. His coal black eyes were trained on me, so I looked away and pushed open a door that lead to another hall.

His voice startled me, "Why are you in the eleventh?"

"Well… I don't know." I answered truthfully, " I like to fight but… fighting isn't everything. There's cooking to be done, paperwork…" I trailed off silently.

"Other then you, I have never seen another woman in this division."

Smiling slightly, I announced, "That's because I'm the only one." He didn't speak again. So we strolled out onto the training grounds were the captain was, for one way of putting it, beating the squad members in a free for all. Over the sounds of swords clashing, and metal meeting flesh, I called, "Captain Zaraki! Captain Kuchiki would like to talk with you!"

Ikkaku answered me instead of Zaraki, "Shut up Corvette and join the fight; we could use your help! Were gona be doing a session with seated officers as hollows and the lower seats are gona be soul reapers."

"Do you look like Zaraki? I didn't think so, now-"

"Kenpachi Zaraki. I wish to speak with you about some important matters." Kuchiki's cold monotone voice cut me off.

The sounds of clashing quieted, and Zaraki strolled forward to glare at Kuchiki and snarl harshly at him, "What do you want, Pretty Boy? I'm too busy for your bullshit today, so come back never."

"Zaraki. I will not repeat myself. Join me in your office for a few moments."

Sighing at Kuchiki, Zaraki walked over to the door, followed by pretty boy, with lieutenant Yachiru draped across his shoulders, he called back to Ikkaku, "Start the fighting, I wana see blood on some blades when I find all of you. The limit is the division walls." He said, but added on another notice, "Try not to die. Got it?"

"Yes sir!" chimed all the men. And then Zaraki left.

"You heard him! Start now! And if you lose, head back here, or off to the fourth division."

We split up and I flash stepped to my tree with a sigh. I was tired and it was hard to breath. Using the little bit of healing kido I knew how to do, I soothed my lungs slightly, and then put up a barrier around the tree so no one would disturb me while pulling the scrunchie out of my hair and placing it on my wrist. Stretching out my sleeping bag, I laid down on it for a nap. But then I got cold, so I grabbed my blanket and my pillow and curled up with an arm over my eyes, and the other around my stomach.

"What do you think your doing Ms. Corvette?" sounded Kuchiki's cold voice.

Opening my eyes, I saw him standing just a bit out of my barrier, I glared at him before answering, "I _was_ planning on sleeping, since I haven't been feeling well since early this morning, but apparently this isn't going to happen."

"Sorry to disturb your nap, but aren't you supposed to be brawling with those mongrels in your division?"

Yawning, I rubbed my eyes and blearily resumed my position I was in before, "Probably, but those fools don't need me to train with them today. I'm tired, and I feel like shit, so I'm sleeping. It's probably from that shot that all of the girl soul reapers had to get."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, now if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sleep." I said as I rolled over and curl up again.

"You shouldn't shirk your duties, so if you don't get out of this _weak_ barrier, I will get your Captain to deal with you."

'_Damn it…_'

"Very well…" Pulling myself up, and slipping my sleeping stuff aside; I stepped out of the branch and diminished my barrier. He gave me a pleased look and left, I glared at were he had been standing before and flipped his retreating back off, "bastard."

Breathing in and out, I used a bit of my spirit energy to wake myself up when I heard voices around the nearing the corner of were my tree rested. I flash stepped across the yard to duck behind a couple of stray boxes that littered the division yard and walls, "Hey! Is that our ninth seat?"

The sound of feet stepping behind the box I was hiding next to alerted me to their position, "I think so," I heard one say, " but I don't see her anymore. Where did she go? Think she fled to the rest of the seated officers that aren't captive?"

"I'dunno Akane, it feels like someones watching and listening to us…"

I jumped on top of the box I had stationed myself behind, to find two unseated officers, one a short burly brown haired man and the other a dark black color that stood around six foot two, staring bug-eyed at me, as I shouted loudly in a creepy voice, "**Boo**!"

The two of them squeaked and launched at me in an automatic reflex, and I dodged by flipping over their heads while simultaneously pulling Elohcin from her scabbard to parry the stray blades that followed me upwards. Landing on my feet silently, I watched as they turned towards me only to hold up a finger to them, sheath my sword, and I gathered my hair and placed it in a ponytail again with the scrunchie on my wrist.

The black haired man sighed, eyed his partner, and settled into a stance, "You done yet?"

Pulling the tie tight, I grinned sadistically, "Yup! But may I ask your names?"

"I'm Akane," the short dude pointed to himself, " and this is Yurokusa, but you can call him Yuro."

Yuro looked at me with a lopsided grin, "Yo!"

"Enough talk, lets fight!"

They launched at me, one coming from each side, so I took off towards Kuro, and rotated myself under his legs and flip him over into Akane who was following closely behind me. I dropped into a crouch as he flew over my head, while I quickly plunged my blade into his stomach and retracted it, and face planted into a box in front of me. I started laughing at the poor man. My laughter stopped abruptly as pain registered in my arm as Yuro landed next to his friend and helped him up.

Then my hair cascaded around me and my hair tie fell to the ground, "Damn it, that was one of my favorites…"

Walking back further, I watched as they again attacked head on. This time I took on Akane, and locked my sword with his and flipped over him. Unlocking the swords, I began to engage the other in combat. _Cut, dodge, flip, slash, stab, and roll away, downward thrust, block, block._ I slid Elohcin into Yuro's sternum and kept moving him backwards until he was pinned to a wall.

I felt Akane's blade slide through the soft flesh of my left part of my rib cage, and Yuro's blade go through the other side, both buried in my flesh to the hilt. I hissed angrily as blood began to slowly drip onto my uniform and hair from the plugged stab wounds, and planted both of my feet on the wall on ether side of Yuro. Pushing off the wall, their blades remained in my ribs, therefore disarming them; I flipped over them while ripping Elohcin out of Yuro's body.

Holding Elohcin out, I asked, "Do you yield? Or do you want to die?"

They shared a look "We yield."

I turned and started walking towards the fourth while wiping the blood off of Elohcin with my sleeve, "Well, lets take you to the fourth division, I punctured some of your organs so you might pass out-"

TH-THUNK

"Soon…" sighing, I sheathed my sword, and gave an experimental tug on each of the swords in my ribs. They didn't budge, but it hurt like hell.

Stalking over to grab the to passed out buffoons I flipped one over each shoulder, and walked to the gates of the division.

Just as I was going to walk out, I heard Ikkaku call me, "Hey Corvette! Were you going?" he said as he jogged up followed by Yumichika, who eyed my blood stained hair disdainfully.

I turned slightly to the left to how them Akane's soul slayer, "I'm taking them to the fourth and I'm gonna see if Unohana will rip these out for me."

Yumichika flipped his hair, and said, "Have Ikkaku do it. It'll save you a trip."

Shifting Yuro over slightly, I gave Ikkaku full access to my side, "Give it your best shot."

Walking forward, Ikkaku took the handle of the sword into his palm, and tugged. He earned a wince from me, but no movement from the blade. Pulling harder, he planted a foot on my hip and put his weight into it. Falling on his ass, and making me stumble, he exclaimed, "Well holy fuck! It wont come out, damn it!"

Sticking my tongue out at him, and turning to continue on my way, I said, "Told you."

I started flash stepping to the fourth.


	4. Hospital woes

As I stepped over the roof of division eight, I could taste the metallic tang of my blood at the back of my tongue. Swallowing, I pushed myself to go faster and quicker then I was before. In my haste, I ended up stepping on, and dripping blood onto, Captain Kuchiki's lawn…

Landing just outside of the main gates, I walked in with the guards looking at me inquiringly. I stepped into the main lobby, and noticed that it was very busy. At least a third of eleventh division members were here, and since were almost the largest division, that's quite a lot of people. I dodged healers and patients alike, and strolled up to the main desk as the guys across my shoulders slid down more to cover their swords in my ribs.

"Hi," I said with a small smile, "Is there anyone you can spare to take care of these two idiots? I may have accidentally ruptured a couple of their organs."

Without looking up from his filing, the receptionist replied, "Yes miss, we'll have someone here as soon as were done with the eleventh division patients. May I ask your name, squad and if you're seated?"

"Well, I'm Mercedes Nova Corvette, ninth seat of the eleventh squad."

His honey brown eyes jerked up, and met my creepy green ones. And then look notice of the amount of blood that was soaking our uniforms. His eyes went wide, and he sent a message over an intercom, "Is there anyone who can treat two eleventh division members right away?"

It was answered my Unohana's voice, "Yes, send them to the room two doors down from Captain Ukitake's. Room four hundred and twenty two."

He looked at me, "You heard the Captain, take them to the room."

I nodded and took off at a fairly quick pace considering I had about two, maybe three hundred pounds on my shoulders. I rounded a corner and found a dead end. So I backtracked, and found Hanataro, who was heading for Ukitake's room to change the bed sheets on the other bed on the room. Apparently it had been coughed on... So I tagged along with him, as he began to chatter aimlessly.

"Mercy! What are you doing here?" his little light blue eyes widened in concern.

I laughed lightly, "Well, Hana… this is what happens when the eleventh division plays a simple game: soul reapers and hollows."

"Really?"

"Yep…"

Hana shivered slightly, "Sounds scary."

I rolled my eyes at him and declared, "You bet, and it's even scarier when Captain Kuchiki gets in on it too."

"Oh," he mumbled, "is that what happened to them too?"

I started laughing slightly, "No, no Hana. I happened to them."

"You mean…?" he inquired horrified.

"Yep, I beat them."

"Why though?"

I winced as Akane pressed down on one of the swords, while Yurokusa let one rip right in my face, but then responded, "They attacked me first Hana, and I wasn't looking for a fight."

With a gasp, Hana took a hold of my arm, firmly stopping me, "Did they hurt you?"

I pulled Hana into a walk again and lied to him, "Nope not a scratch."

"Then why are you all bloodied…?"

I sighed remorsefully and answered, "Its their blood Hana. Not mine."

"Really?"

"Yes Hana…" I sighed and glanced to the left, seeing the Sixth divisions lieutenant sitting on a bed, getting a bandage wrapped around his chest. This caught my interest, "What's he doing here,"

"Oh Renji? He got caught in a skirmish between a group of eleventh division members, and got beat really badly."

We walked in silence form then on, through another couple of doors and turned some corners, before Hanataro went into what I assumed was Ukitake's room. I walked down a couple more doors, and came face to face with my destination.

"Come in please." Unohana called though the door. I leaned slightly and opened it without dropping ether of the guys. Unohana was preparing two beds, and when she looked over at me, her eyes widened but she put on a kind smile, "Hello Mercedes, and who are your friends here?"

"Akane and Yurokusa. We were having a big game of soul reapers and hollows, with the seated officers being hollows… they just picked the wrong opponent to fight." I walked over to the bed on the far right and laid Kuro on it, and then laid Akane on the other. As I was straightening up, I felt Unohana give me the creepy glare as she tweaked Kuro's sword causing me to hiss in pain.

"You failed to let the receptionist know that you were hurt?"

I held up my hands, "We tried getting the swords out, and your busy here, so I figured it wouldn't kill me to wait a bit."

She gave me the look again, and I shivered "Your wrong. Now lets move you to room four twenty one. Scratch that, would you mid if you shared a room with Ukitake, since you're not really able to catch… Never mind, were still headed for Ukitake's room. He's getting released today so it should be fine,"

"Can I have like a hospital robe or something please? And if it bothers Captain Ukitake, then I can wait. It doesn't bother me."

She walked to a closet, and tossed me a robe that I quickly slipped on as a healing team, including Hana, came bustling in to heal the two idiots. Unohana walked out the door, and I followed quietly, as we walked down the hall and she knocked on Ukitake's door. "Jushiro, would you mind sharing your room for a moment? All of the rest are full, and we need a eleventh division patient treated quickly."

A kind and calm voice, with a hint of rasp to it, sounded out, "Not at all, Retsu, go ahead and bring him in." And so we walked in. there sitting on a hospital bed, was a white haired man with kind dark eyes and pale skin. His eyes were slightly surprised to see a woman instead of a man, "Retsu, I thought you said the patient was from the eleventh."

I snorted and stated in an annoyed tone, "I would shake hands but," I held up my blood stained hands, "mine are dirty…"

"Oh no, "He laughed, "I don't mind that, but which division are you really from?"

"Captain Ukitake, sir," I answered, for Unohana was about to interject, "I am part of the eleventh and I'm quite proud of it."

"None the less," Unohana waved us off, and pointed at the bed on the far end of the wall, "sit Ms. Corvette. I will be back soon, I just need some others to help restrain you."

I sat were she instructed and waited. My hospital robe shifted slightly exposing Elohcin, and Setsuna who had used our bond to port to our position. I reached down and slid the two sister swords out of my sash and laid them on the chair next to my bedside.

"So is it?" Ukitake said with a raised eyebrow and a small smile.

"Please Captain Ukitake, call me Mercy."

Smiling even bigger, he alleged, "Ok, Mercy. You have twin soul slayers?"

I shrugged and winced as one of the swords nicked something, "Yeah, I heard two captains have twin swords too." I felt a cough coming, so I raised my hand to muffle it; the cough itself turned into a gross sounding fit.

Ukitake shifted so that he faced me a bit more, and asked with distress, "Are you all right?"

Clearing my throat, I swallowed the tangy metallic flavor I had grown to adore and hate, "Nope, but it'll pass… so you were saying?"

"I'm one of them… the two captains with twin swords; so do you know how to use your blades?"

"Yep." I answered proudly.

He looked at me, and down to my torso, "What are you in here for?"

Smiling politely, I said, "Training accident." I let my gaze wander, and found a red button which was on an intercom, "Whats that for?"

"What?"

"The intercom thing…"

He looked at it disdainfully, "Its there to alert people if they are needed in this room."

A knock sounded at the door, and Unohana's voice called out, "Ms. Corvette, were coming in." I shifted slightly as Unohana and Isane walked in with another healer. Isane walked over with the other healer and instructed him to hold my legs down.

"Captain, do you want me to remove this," I motioned to my white jacket thing, "or leave it on?"

Unohana was preparing something while she responded to me, "Take it off, I need to be able to have access to them."

I silently slipped off my coat, giving everyone full view of the soul slayers stuck in my sides. I was getting slightly dizzy, but I didn't mind it. Looking to Ukitake, I got a good look at his wide eyes, as he exclaimed "What kind of training were you doing?"

Smirking at him, I said, "The best kind!"

Startled again he asked, "How are you not crying or anything? I, at least, would show some discomfort!"

Now it was my turn to be startled and I slumped slightly to the side, and straitened at once as a shock of pain flooded my mind, "If I was constantly crying out, or curled up from pain, I would be dead by now wouldn't I, be it by my Captain's of hand or a higher seats blade."

"Mercedes?" Unohana called before Ukitake could respond, "Do you want us to move your bed so you can lean against the wall while we pull them out?"

"Won't that hinder your progress?"

"Yes, but-"

Ukitake clambered out of his bed and crossed the room to stand behind me, while he said; "I can support Mercy so you may attend to her ailments."

I tipped my head so I looked straight up at his face and stated, "You don't have too… I can hold myself up."

"That will work fine Jushiro, thank you for offering. Ok Mercy," she stated as she took Kuro's soul slayers handle into her palm while Isane placed a semi glowing hand on my ribcage, "were going to start pulling them out about-now."

I felt the pain of the blades slowly sliding and wrenching out of my body, and it forced me backwards into Ukitake's arms, which curled around me to hold me in place, as I gritted my teeth against the agony. I felt a scream build in my throat, but swallowed it down to a whimper, and I buried my hands into the sheets on the bed. The sword jiggled, and came out with a spray of blood and other stuff. Isane's gentle hands started healing with a warm glowing light while Unohana moved to my other side.

Unohana's hand locked around Akane's katana as the other braced the spot were the katana protruded from my body, Isane continued healing the other wound that still had blood running out. I took a gurgling breath and let it out, blood dancing at the back of my throat, tempting me to remove it.

Unohana stated in a gentle tone, "On three… One, two…" three never came to my ears, for Unohana started pulling on Akane's soul slayer. I felt one of my ribs edge outward. It snapped suddenly, protruding outward painfully. A cry ripped itself from my esophagus, and my hands left the table to clutch at Ukitake's arms; my legs nearly tossing the poor healer away. The sword in my side, however, slid out easily after that, taking even more of my blood with it.

Blood poured into my mouth and, hunching forward out of Ukitake's arms, I started to cough. As Unohana put the rib back in place, Ukitake moved one of his arms to rub circles on my back while I brought up a hand to cover my mouth. Isane's careful hand ran across my chest, emitting soothing warmth before she went back to healing my side. Eventually the coughing and blood subsided, for the moment, but left me extremely weak feeling. The blood in my lungs was building quickly. It felt like all of my energy was going to a certain part of my body. Isane, forgetting to wrap my wounds as a message from a hell butterfly went into her ear, and the other healer, left to go attend to some other critical conditioned eleventh division members.

Unohana's hands drifted over my entire torso, starting from the top, pausing over my lungs and heart, she frowned at me, "You never mentioned this amount of damage to your pulmonary…"

"It…" I sucked in a small breath as I shifted slightly in discomfort of having two Captains hovering over me, " never came up…"

"Retsu," Ukitake asked and looked at her, I heard his hair shift over the fabric covering his shoulders, " may I ask what kind of damage it is?"

"I'm sorry, I can't say… patient confidentiality prohibits it."

"I see…"

Unohana continued her drifting, only to stop and hover over my lower abdomin, "Mecedes, have you been feeling any of the symptoms I've told you about?"

"No." A good lie would keep her from over worrying about me.

She gave me a look, before her hands darted back up to my chest. A burst of her spiritual pressure invaded my own and attempted to dispel the sickness that is entangled with my lungs. At the preliminary shock, I felt myself go limp, and crashed backwards into Ukitake, who quickly enfolded his arms around my upper body to brace my fall. I blinked slowly as I felt another spray of blood come up from my abused lungs and pool into my mouth, but not yet spilling over.

"Mercedes!" the combined calls of both Captains sounded from the suddenly loud hospital.

My logical mind went blank as the blood bubbled over my lips and I started to hack and cough as more come spraying out. My hand was keeping the blood from going all over the room, so all it could do was coat my arms, chest and legs in the sticky redness. I couldn't get a lungful of air, not even a little gasp of it. Little black dots entered my vision, taunting me into the dark abyss of unconsciousness. The black dots started growing, and when they just about covered my entire vision, I found that they began to ebb. Also, I found that I was breathing a little better now.

My eyes closed and I felt myself being lifted into the air, my head landing on something warm and hard, "Retsu, I am going to ask you to please bring her a change of clothing and some new sheets… I don't think you want her sleeping in her own blood."

"I will get her cloths, and have Hanataro change her sheets. Juushiro, if it wont bother you, could you cleanse the blood from her?"

He shifted end I felt myself bobbing up and down while the warm surface vibrated slightly, "No problem Retsu." I heard a door open and shut, and the busy shuffle of feet. It was a rhythm that I was hearing.

_Beat, step, breath in, step, beat, breath out, beat, step, in, step beat, out._ A never-ending mantra played in my mind. I was almost out of it when the chant was broken by a door opening and closing, along with a fresh batch of steam rolling into my face. I moaned and cringed as it hurt to do so, along with the steam hitting my still gaping sword wounds. It burnt like when you pour whisky on an open sore or wound.

A deep and kinda rough crooning noise answered my moan, "Its okay, were going to clean you up, and then you'll be able to rest. Five minutes is all I need for you to be awake."

I was handed to a smaller, less comfortable, frame, and that person almost dropped me. I'm no feather let me tell you this. I didn't say a word, but I did cry out quietly as I was stripped of everything accept for my bra and panties and slid gently into the steaming hot water. It scorched at my wounds, so it caused me to stay awake. Five minutes my ass. It could have been five hours, five days, five weeks, five months, or five years, and it still would have felt like fifteen centuries.

I was pulled from the bath and stripped of my last two garments, had my wounds wrapped quickly and efficiently, before being slid into another pair of undergarments and a new hospital robe. Soon the same large warm arms from before held me again, and I dared to open my eyes. Gentle bronze met my starting emerald, and I would have flushed a nice pink color if I hadn't felt like total shit at the moment. My eyes closed again. I heard a faint rattle of something akin to fluid in the lungs beneath my ear.

I dismissed the opening of a door and the closing of it, instead to pick up the hesitant sound of Hana's quiet voice, "Mercy?"

I opened one eye and let its gaze wander to Hana as Ukitake set me on the newly prepared bed. I croaked out hoarsely, "Hana…" I let my eye wander from him to Ukitake, he had stepped back across to his own bed, which had paled and was starting to cough wetly, "Ukitake… help…please?"

Looking back, his eyes widened, and he dashed to the wall and pressed a the red button next to the intercom, "Unohana, Ukitake's coughing again, hurry please!"

I heard a frantic reply, and quick foot steps down the hallway to the room. My eyes were heavy, so as my eyes closed I heard the door slam open and shut. And then I heard no more.


	5. Short awakening

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

_Breathe in._

_Breath out._

Each gasp of air caused pain, which brought me back to the world of the consciousness; that and the nauseated feeling inside my stomach. I tried to open my eyes and found it difficult, but not impossible, to open them. Light flooded my line of sight, and I blinked to clear it. Once I could see, I noticed that I had an I-v in my hand and that I wasn't in my tree.

'_Where am I? I feel like shit… now I remember…the whole sword and blood thing… ugh._'

'**No duh dipshit.**' Elohcin said loudly from my inner world. My eyes closed when it echoed off the far reaches of my mind.

'**Yeah shitstick, about time you woke up, you never sleep for more then ten hours unless your sick.**" Setsuna, twin of Elohcin, chimed in even louder.

'_I feel like I've been ran over by a fucking stampede… that good enough for ya?'_

'**No.**' they said in sync, which meant they were going to be speaking as one for a while. I don't feel dealing with them now.

'_Damn._' I mentally mumbled.

'_How long have I been out?_'

' **Bout one hundred and twenty hours, give or take a few.**'

' _That is?'_

'_**Five days.**__'_

'_Holy fuck.'_

'**Yeah, we spent most of that time trying to wake ya! We thought you had died 'cause no one answered when we called**_**.**_'

'_I'm sorry…_' and I almost fell back into unconsciousness.

I heard the door slide open, and soft steps walk to the other side of the room. The rustle of fabric let me know that there was a third party with us in the room. A deep jagged voice echoed in my ears, "Retsu, how is the girl?"

"Stable." A deep feminine sigh, "For how long I don't know. It depends on if she wakes up or not. Jushiro, how are _you_ doing this afternoon? You look much better since your flair up yesterday."

"Fine, I fell much better." A small silence followed, broken by Jushiro again… "So she's in a coma?"

"As much as it pains me to say this… but yes." She took a deep breath, "Her body should have given out a few days ago, and it's at its limit…"

There was a sudden intake of breath, then a small silence… "Will she make it?"

"She's from the eleventh! Ninety nine point nine percent of the eleventh survive through almost anything." She paused, "Unless her respatory fails while she's in a coma."

My eyes snapped open, and I forced my lips to open slightly so I could speak, "Uno…hana…"

I heard quick footsteps, and Unohana entered my field of sight. Her eyes were worried and tired, for she had a slight purple bag under her eyes. Her hands fluttered over my body, looking for anything she left over, "How are you feeling, Mercy dear?" her hands rested on my belly for a few seconds then continued on their way.

"Like shit." Which suspiciously sounded like 'li shizz' to me.

"Any specific parts hurt? And don't speak, you'll stress your respatory system, just try and nod and shake your head. If you cant do that then…" she thought for a moment as her hands fluttered over my abdomen again, "flick your eyes up and down or side to side."

I flicked my eyes side to side, as a show that nothing was hurting specifically. Just everything hurt in duality. I ran a tongue over my lips to unseal them, and them attempted to swallow. My eyes jerked shut and I gritted my teeth to ensure no pained noises followed my action. I panted slightly as my throat muscles stopped moving and ended the swallow halfway down. I heard multiple shuffling noises, followed by the loud thump of a comforter hitting the wood, and found myself being brought into a sitting position: leaning on the one who held me. I heard water running; and I tried to swallow again. Once more, it didn't go down.

Then I found a cool, smooth thing pressed to my lips. I wrenched my eyes open and came face to face with a glass of water. Opening my mouth, I took a couple small sips of the water before closing my jaws and looking at the one who held me up. Ukitake… He was smiling kindly at me, and had the glass of water ready to give me another drink. Unohana was checking my ribs and what not. I took another couple of gulps.

"Unohana," I winced at the rough, gravel like tone of my voice, but was glad that it didn't sound as weak, "how long 'till m' out?" Ukitake set the glass on a nearby table wile looking for a couple of pillows to prop me up with.

She laughed heartily at me for a moment, "Figures. First thing you eleventh division members want to know when you wake up, is when you're getting released." She gave me a slightly sympathetic look, " Well dear, I'm afraid that you won't be able to leave for a couple of days. I want to make sure your completely healthy, and confirm something before I send you back with a clean bill of health."

"Well," I said, suddenly remembering that there would be a crap load of paper work for me to do when I got back, "can you have someone bring me the eleventh division paperwork please? I don't want to get behind…"

"Are you going to be well enough to do them?" Walking to the closet that I hadn't seen earlier, Unohana called to me.

I snorted, "Yeah, I'm from the eleventh. Were not put in the front line 'cause were pansies."

Walking back, she had a bunch of pillows in her grasp, "If your sure…" laying them across my lap, she started to put them one by one behind my body to keep me propped up.

"Could you have someone sent my paperwork here too, Retsu? I don't want Kiyone and Sentaro to get too swamped."

I looked up at him. He was quite pale and was sweating a bit, "Captain Ukitake, sir, why don't you rest? I can do your paperwork for a while."

"Yes, rest Jushiro, Mercy here said she can do a little bit of your work."

"But…"

Unohana and me teamed up on him this time. "Rest."

He sighed begrudgingly and walked back over to his bed were he lay down and pulled up the covers. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow. I started coughing slightly, and was offered another drink of the water. Who was I to decline?

"Well Mercy, I'll have someone send in the paperwork in the morning. But for now," she turned and walked over to the door after shutting off the lights, "get some sleep. Your going to need it tomorrow." Then she left.

Once more, who was I to decline? I got myself comfortable, and laid my head back. I could feel a knot in my hair, and wondered faintly if it looked like a rat's nest and how hard it would be to comb it out in the morning. Then there was nothing again.


	6. Paperwork, Songs, and laughter, oh my!

The next morning, my eyes snapped open at around six in the morning. Nausea had awaked me, and I felt the acidy burn of bile at the back of my mouth. I darted up and grabbed the cold glass of water to force it down. I didn't want Unohana to keep me here for longer then necessary. I gasped as I set the glass down, the bile burned on the way down. I breathed shallowly, and looked around. Ukitake was asleep and breathing softly.

'**How do you feel, cowgirl?**' Setsuna entered my mind.

'_Actually,_' I mind-spoke, '_I feel really good. Where's Elohcin?_'

'**Keeping your pain.**'

'_But I don't hurt…_'

'**You will in a moment.**' On a second thought I think, she added, '**Remember, pain makes you stronger.**'

'_What the fuck does that mean?_'

Then the pain registered. I gasped loudly and wrapped my arms around my rib cage as I leaned back onto the pillows I had been propped up on. Pain laced up my spinal cord with every breath and tightened my lungs. '_This was what she meant..._' It felt like I was gonna re-die when… The door slid open and in walked Unohana. Faster then you could say SOS (shit on shingles which is a food I've eaten), I was laying back with my hands over my lap, my breathing normal, and a huge eleventh division smile on my face.

Unohana walked over and set a huge stack of papers on the table, along with a pen from the living world, then she smiled at me in a knowing way, "How do you feel Mercy?" she quickly set a smaller stack on Ukitake's table desk thing.

I lessened my grin into a kind (fake) smile and said cheerily, "Oh I'm fine! I was just wondering how the other eleventh division members were doing." God, I was such a fibber.

She leaned down and put a small amount of pressure on my sternum, "Liar. Now tell me, what really hurts?" I clenched my hand, and she took it and sort of unclenched it a bit.

"Nothing does, honest." I said, giving her an 'innocent' doe-eyed expression of shock.

"You will tell me later." She turned to walk out the door as she slipped something into my semi-clenched hand, "Work on your paperwork, ninth seat Mercedes Corvette. You have lots of it to keep you occupied."

As she left, I opened my hand and looked at what was resting on my palm. A folded up piece of paper rested neatly in the palm of my hand along with my MP4. '_Thank god Unohana was kind enough to get this because I would have gone insane with this silence. But I wonder, how did she know were to get it from? Or were did I place it for that matter?_'. Opening it, I took a look at what was scrawled inside, 'Mercedes, dear, could you please work on Ukitake's paperwork as well? Its mixed in with your stack and there for should be fairly easy to find. Don't stress yourself ether, Mercy… you have a habit of ignoring orders from your superiors when it concerns your health. If you have to use the rest room or _anything _just fluctuate your spiritual pressure a bit, and Hanataro Yamada should be there fairly quick.

Unohana'

I folded the letter and gave it a glare. She seriously wouldn't let me do anything on my own? Damn, that's just sad. I sighed dejectedly, and picked up my and apparently part of Ukitake's stack and grabbed the pen. Slipping the ear bud into one of my ears, leaving the one facing Ukitake out, I chose to look for a song instead of putting it on shuffle like usual. I decided to go for 'Tear Drops on my Guitar' by some Taylor swift lady. I decided that since no one was awake to listen to me, I would sing along with it since a retarded hollow ate my old guitar. I haven't had enough money to buy myself a guitar or a fiddle, which I also learned how to play.

I started scrawling as soon as the song started, but I substituted some of the words or other stuff,

"_**He looks at me  
I fake a smile so he won't see  
What I want and I need  
And everything that we should be**_

I'll bet she's beautiful  
That girl he talks about  
And she's got everything  
That I have to live without

He talks to me  
I laugh 'cause it's just so funny  
I can't even see  
Anyone when he's with me

He says he's so in love  
He's finally got it right  
I wonder if he knows  
He's all I think about at night

He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star  
He's the song in the car I keep singing  
Don't know why I do

He walks by me  
Can he tell that I can't breathe?  
And there he goes, so perfectly  
The kind of flawless I wish I could be

She better hold him tight  
Give him all her love  
Look in those beautiful eyes  
And know she's lucky 'cause

He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star  
He's the song in the car I keep singing  
Don't know why I do

So I drive home alone  
As I turn out the light  
I'll put his picture down  
And maybe get some sleep tonight

'Cuz he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart  
He's the song in the car I keep singing  
Don't know why I do

He's the time taken up but there's never enough  
And he's all that I need to fall into  
He looks at me  
I fake a smile so he won't see…"

I looked at the next few pages. I had started on Uikates first, determined to get it finished before I started on my own. Nexty thing I knew, the song Bulovard of Broken Dreams was playing. I put it on pause before it started and stretched my fingers and was tempted to get out of bed. My legs were falling asleep. I turned it on play as I settled back down to work on finishing Ukitake's papers off.

I sang a little bit louder then I did before, just enough that if Ukitake were conscious, he would be able to hear what I was saying,

"_**I walk a lonely road  
The only one that I have ever known  
Don't know where it goes  
But it's home to me and I walk alone**_

I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
and I'm the only one and I walk alone"

I stopped singing when my MP4 died. Popping the ear phone out, I turned slightly to put it on the tabe when I caught sight of Ukitake sitting up in his bed reading a book. I gasped and almost dropped my dead music player. Quickly dipositing it on the table, I took in a breath of air and caught his attention, "Good morning Captain Ukitake, sir, how long have you been awake?"

He set his book down and smiled kindly at me, "Not very long, and good morning to you too Mercedes." I let out a sigh of relief,"You know, you have a really beautifull voice."

"Y-you werent supposed to hear that…" I stuttered slightly, then frowned at him, "I have a horrible voice unless I have some sort of sound to drown it out."

"Not at all." He reached across the gap to gather up his papers and another pen that had been hidden on the other side of the stack, just out of my ling of sight, and leaned back to begin working on it, "Do you play any instuments?"

I continued scrawling again, "Yes. I play guitar and the fiddle quite well, but I havent got ether instuments anymore. I had a fiddle when I was alive, and my old guitar got eaten by the Rh." On a second thought, so I didn't have another question to answer, I added" I've written my own song too, I just cant find a tune to fit it."

"What, if I may inquire is a Rh?"

I giggled lightly, "Rh means Retarded Hollow."

He joined me in with a few chuckles of his own, "So why have you not gotten annother instrument?"

"Well," I started, "officers in the eleventh don't receive much money, or atleast, I don't. It could be because of the gender issue…"

I saw him glace at me through the corner of my eye, "Gender issue?"

"Yeah," I said with a nonchalant tone, "the guys believed that the female gender is weaker then the male, and therefor are good for nothing other then cooking." Now that I thought back, I knew only one male that didn't, "Captain Kenpachi dosent think I'm weak… if I were in his eyes, I would definetly not be in the eleventh division. The others though… Well, they still believe that, but since ive worked my way up, its not so much of an issue anymore."

I paused in my work to look at him. Ukitake had a thoughtful look across his face, "So what is your salary?"

I answere slowly as I went back to the paperwork, "Well… I get about four and a half per month."

I heard him start scrawling again, "Four and a half thousand isnt so bad."

I snorted at him, earning me an inquiring look, "Who said anything about thousand? Try hundred."

I heard Ukitake turn sharply, and I angled myself to meet his gaze, "How much do your squad members make?"

"About two and a half to six and a quarter. Depends on rank I suppose." I turned back to continue to fill out the papers, "How about we drop the topic?"

He seemed to hesitate but eventualy agreed, "Sure. So, you said you wrote a song? May I hear it?"

"I suppose. But it may not be in tune…"

"Let me listen it anyways." Ukitake persisted.

"Fine, Fine…" I took a deep breath, and thought of the lyrics and the non existant beat to them.

I started,

"_**Tempers flair and eyes flash to red**_

_**Words blasted back and forth**_

_**Worth more then a knife could score**_

_**Dead silence followed by the drawing of a blade**_

_**Blood paints the white walls red**_

_**As only one lord is left standing alive**_

_**The bugle sounds across the land**_

_**The Lords have fallen!**_

_**Only the West is left**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**For our blades shall scar across the land**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**Let us fight to even the score**_

_**The lord of the west stands among his men**_

_**In the line for battle**_

_**Holding his sword steady and ready to pierce his enemy's flesh.**_

_**Across the line of battle**_

_**The rebel lord raised his sword**_

_**A beastly bellow signals the men**_

_**To start marching forward**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**For our blades will forever mar out enemies flesh**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**Let us fight to end this war!**_

_**A regal howl is the signal**_

_**For the men of the west**_

_**To start their dreadful march**_

_**Swords clash**_

_**Blood is drawn**_

_**It's a full out bloody war!**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**For our blades will mark their skin**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**We shall fight to settle the score**_

_**To settle the score…**_

_**But one was left**_

_**The lord of the west**_

_**His sword through the chest **_

_**Of the lord of the rest**_

_**Blood soaked the lords**_

_**Blood of their men**_

_**The men lying dead**_

_**Tempers now gone and eyes turned to gold**_

_**No more words passed**_

_**From the men laying with the dead**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**Let us fight for our lord**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**We die to tie a war**_

_**Let it be war!**_

_**Let us die for our lord**_

_**Let it be war…**_

Let it be war…

_**Let it be war…**_

_**For we've tied the score**_

_**And settled the war…**_"

I looked over to see Ukitake smiling at me in obvious joy, "Mercedes, that was very good! What was the song called?"

I smiled back and answered, "Its called Let It Be War. It tells that war is pointless, and ends in sadness, loneliness, and death."

"True, so very true…" he stated.

I gave my paperwork a look. It was all done, including Captain Ukitake's… I looked over to his bed. He still had a noticeable stack left… Flipping the bed covers off, I staggered up in my hospital kimono thing and started over to his bed. In one hand I had the finished stack of papers that were his, and the other was empty.

As soon as I reached his bed, I sat my ass down on the edge and handed a bewildered Ukitake his papers and took the rest of his stack of papers with a smile. I stumbled back to the bed and plopped down and started on it again.

"You know," Ukitake started, "you didn't have to do that. I can work on my own paperwork just fine."

I gave him a grin, "Captain Unohana told me not to let you do much work. She doesn't want you to stress yourself too much. All you need to do is add your signature since I don't know how to copy yours."

He scoffed slightly and settled back down to start signing all the papers I had given him, "Any yourself? Do you plan to over work yourself? A lady like yourself shouldn't do such things for a fellow like me."

I just broke down in a fit of laughter, and was soon joined by Ukitake, "I'm an eleventh division girl! I'm tough as nails unless you point a needle at me!" I forced a strait face.

"Then what do you do? Scream like a little girl?" Ukitake asked with a semi strait face.

"Yes!" I broke down into squeaks of laughter along with him. After a bit though we both calmed down and got back to what we were doing in the first place, "Ok, I'm really hungry… how about you?"

He smiled at me again, "Quite. Shall we call for someone to bring us a meal?"

"Sure."

So we waited after Ukitake seemed to fluctuate his spiritual pressure in a type of pattern. Not to much later, Hana came in, with Rangiku behind him, holding two trays of food. Immediately, I was deafened by a shriek and found my face buried in the two fleshy watermelons that could only be Rangiku's boobs.

"Mercedes! How are you feeling? I've missed you so much! Captains been a mean grumpy pants 'cause he had to do extra work, and then took it out on me and made me do more paperwork!" She cried loudly as she extracted me from her breasts.

"I'm doing well as can be in a place that scares the living shit out of me."

"Good morning Captain Ukitake, Mercy. I've brought your meals!"

"Good Morning Hanataro." Ukitake replied.

I laughed happily as Rangiku took a seat on the end of my bed, and I took my tray after setting the paperwork aside. Gleefully, I called to Hana, "Mornin' Hana! Are you gonna stay for a bit?"

He gave me a saddened look, "Only until you both have finished eating. Then both Lieutenant Matsumoto and me will take out leave and you are to return to resting. Ah!" he reached into his top and pulled out a syringe full of a purple fluid, "Hold out your arm please Mercedes, this will keep your wounds from getting infected! With this, you should be able to be let out in a couple of days!"

I kept my attention focused on the food I was eating and stuck out my arm, "just do it quick Hana, I don't like needles."

"M'kay!"

I didn't even feel the prick of the needle, but I felt the burn that came with the liquid inside it. It set my veins ablaze and made me lose my appetite. I just ignored it as a side affect that the wounds may have been infected. I continued eating until my stomach was full and my plate was empty. Rangiku had been blabbering on and on about the up coming Women's association meeting. I was the only girl who thought it was a complete waste of time. Soon enough, I found the tray in my lap missing, and myself working on paperwork. Well, at least I did till I fell asleep.


	7. Late Night Bath

I woke to someone shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes and sat up with a tired yawn to focus my bleary gaze on the one who woke me from my slumber. I saw a shiny thing and someone with a bob haircut… Blinking again, I realized that it was Ikkaku and Yumichika. I yawned again and my teeth snapped together as I whispered, "What are you doing at this ungodly hour?"

"Taking you back to the division, Mercedes! That's what were doing!" Came Ikkaku's ever-wild tone. He was too loud and I held a finger to my lips to signal him to quiet down a bit. Ukitake stirred at the other end but went back into a blissful sleep. I think… he may be secretly awake and listening to us, plotting against us, and waiting to tell on us to Unohana.

"Has Unohana cleared this?"

"Nope! You coming ether way."

Giving me a once over with several winces and shivers; Yumichika stated in a snarkish tone, "Considering how you look so unbeautiful, you should be glad were rescuing you." He finished his statement by running his hand over and through his bowel-cut hairdo.

Glairing at him, I mimicked his tone, "Considering how _unbeautiful_ you just sounded, I say you both should just go back to the division. I have things to do."

"Like what? Sit here and be invalid?"

"Big words form such a little man, Ikkaku."

Suddenly I found myself and my belongings swept up and taken out the window while Ikkaku _whined _in my ear, "We miss your food! The lieutenant has been cooking and well… I'd be willing to kiss Kurosaki's ass if I didn't have to eat that again!"

"Captain Zaraki requested that we come get you to cook." Ikkaku shuddered for a moment; "Actually he also wants to fight you since you're the only one in the division who hasn't fought him yet…"

Great~ "Fine." I gave in. "But I want to go to the hot springs first. I look like shit."

I heard an odd squeal from Yumichika, "Ooh Ikkaku! Lets take her to that one that allows both genders in the same room! These ways I can get that matted rats nest of yours clean for once."

"Sure! This way we get to relax and get to 'guard' random girls in the bath."

Reaching up, I smacked Ikkaku on the shoulder, "Hey! I don't want to get ogled at by you, the reaper-napping perverted bald butthead!" I also threw Yumichika a dirty look, "You… my hair is not that bad!"

I took a look at the scenery as we were passing by. It looked like it was about maybe three thirty or four in the morning. '_I was right,_' I mused, '_it is an ungodly hour in the morning…_' I watched Yumichika break away and bound off towards the eleventh. Don't ask how I know he was going there, I don't know. I looked to Ikkaku and he answered my unasked question.

"He's going to get some 'hair care products' as he calls them. It sounds like a bunch of girly shit." He finished with a snort.

Reaching up, I smacked him again, "Well at least I have hair to use the 'girly shit' on!"

"Hey! I shave my head so have you know!"

I giggled slightly and winced as he landed hard on a roof, "Then there would be stubble on it!" I reached up and ran a hand over it, "No stubble… hmn. That means that its not shaved!"

"I could drop you."

I felt his arms loosen and I wrapped my arms around his neck, "Don't you dare!"

"Oh, I dare." Ikkaku stated in a self-righteous tone as he loosened his arms more. So I did what comes naturally from a disciplinary instinct long forgotten through the ages of homosapians: I bit him on his jugular, not hard enough to kill him; though a familiar metallic substance did grace my tongue hairs.

"For fucks sake! Damn it woman! You have some fuckin' sharp teeth, do you freaking file them! Your teeth can't possibly be that sharp naturally." He yelped and tightened his hold on me again, "I wasn't going to really drop you, Captain Unohana would have my balls in a jar on her desk if I did!"

He made a good point… Deciding to be nice, I reached up and ran my tongue across the teeth marks to seal them up. Licking my lips clean of access blood, I squinted up at him and said, " I do not file my teeth, and they're this sharp naturally," I opened my lips and ran my tongue across them, "you just have weak flesh…"

"You better not have rabies or something."

I smacked him on the shoulder, "I do not have rabies! Your just jealous because I've done something to a higher ranking officer that you wanted to do to Yumichika for a long while… its your fault you know…"

"No way! I do not swing that way!" He sighed exasperatedly, "My fault for what?"

"I said 'don't you dare'."

"Don't he dare what?"

Angling my head, I waved my arms at Yumichika, "Yumichika! Carry me?"

He gave me an annoyed look and gestured down to his arms, he said, "My arms are full."

"So! I'll carry that if you'll carry me." I waved my arms more franticly.

He gave me an exasperated sigh, "Why cant Ikkaku carry you?"

"I threatened to drop her." He offered me over to Yumichika, "Take her, she's heavy."

I 'accidentally' smacked him with a traveling arm and pouted and waved my arms again at Yumichika, "He was being mean!"

"Oh lookie here. Were here."

I paused in my waving to look at the place that we arrived at as Ikkaku and Yumichika walked in. It was reasonably small, with an enclosed fenced area about fifty feet long next to a little fifteen by fifteen building. When we got in, there was a bored looking teenage boy standing behind the desk. Yumichika dealt with the boy as Ikkaku carried me to the bath. He set me down inside of the door and handed me a towel from a nearby rack.

"Get yourself into the bath, we're going to be in there in about three minutes. You have until then." And then he left out the same door he came in.

I stumbled over to the baskets for storing clothing, and stripped out of my hospital dress thing and my under garments. I was surprised to see that my chest binding was still in place and that none of the fourth division members had removed it. Well it is waterproof, but my bandages weren't. Oh well. As I was slipping into the water with my bath towel on, I had a familiar voice call from my mind. I tightened my towel and made sure it covered my bust-bandies.

'**It's a kimono you idiot!**" My ever-loud and boisterous zanpakuto, Elohcin called from the back of my mind.

'_It is? I never knew that…_'

'**Why not? Didn't you learn this when you first picked up on the language?**' Setsuna calmly asked.

'_I'm American. Just because I can speak Japanese does not mean that I know what certain things are called._'

I felt a mental eye roll from both of them, '**Sure~ blame it on your race you racist.**'

'_Shouldn't you have already known that? I mean, you're supposed to be parts of my soul you know. I'm not racist ether._'

I heard the door open before they could reply, so I simply floated to the opposite side of the pool. Ikkaku was going commando, I had already seen it from all the drunks that got dared to run buck necked through the divisions, and had already dived into the water causing a large wave to form. Yumichika, who was setting the shampoos and stuff along the side of the hot springs, had politely wrapped a towel around his waist. Swimming slowly, as not to strain the slowly healing scabs, I went to were Yumichika, who had taken a seat on the stairs that led into the water, beckoned me over.

"Take a seat on this step." He instructed while pointing to the one between his splayed knees and looking through the different smelling shampoo, "What one do you want?"

"Cherry for shampoo," I automatically replied, "and both vanilla and lavender for the conditioner."

"M'kay." I heard the farting sound that the shampoo bottle makes when you squeeze it and moments later I felt long and nimble fingers working my long locks. "You have lots of beautiful hair, Mercedes. It's long, thick, and healthy too. How do you keep it so nice with the constant chance of it getting stained?"

Leaning into the hands massaging my scalp, I mumbled, "I don't really worry about my hair. I was thinking of cutting it to mid back though…"

He sent me to rinse, then set to work at conditioning my curls, all the while taking to me, "Oh, I think your hair is just fine! Leave it as is, and then I can braid it when you go to fight. Ooh, I can think of so many things I can do with it!"

As he continued to blab on about hairstyles, I let my hand slide into my towel to clean the scabs, and I found that they had dissolved along with the bandages and left gaping holes in my flesh. Dipping my finger into one experimentally, I winced. It hurt, as I have apparently just touched a pulsing vein. Moving my finger away, I touched my rib bone. Damn, I figured that it would have been healed a bit more. Retracting my roaming hand, I retightened my towel and made sure it covered my chest binding. "You know Yumichika, I think I just might let you take spare time and play with my hair when I do paperwork."

Ikkaku let out a loud snort, "I think you should just shave it off! Then you could be my pupil!" he broke out into loud chortles.

I picked up a bar of soap and launched it at him as I let lose a cry of "Shut it you!" it flew with precision and made it into his mouth, thoroughly shutting him up for the moment.

The door clacked open, and in waltzed Matsumoto, grinning like a fool, "Mercy!" she chirped as she slid in next to me while Yumichika kept playing with my hair. "Your out early?"

I tilted my head backwards and to the side as Yumichia started to massage my scalp. Grinning at my female companion I responded with a mellow, "Nope."

She gave me a squinty eyed sly look, "Oh? You mean you just up and left?"

"You know, you look really creepy when you do that, but yes." Running my hand over the semi gaping stab wound, I lightly washed the skin, cleaning off all blood crusties, and then I did the opposite one. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Ikkaku's form sliding under the water towards Rangiku's feet.

"I can expect that Captain Unohana doesn't know of this?" Rangiku yelped as she got interrupted and pulled underneath the surface by her ankles as Ikkaku latched on. Then their little water war began. I started laughing lightly.

"So Mercedes," Yumichika chirped to me, "what was with you calling me Yumi? I like it, its beautiful, like myself."

"Its easier to say," I giggled, at I got splashed with water.

"M'kay… I need you to dunk, so hold your breath." I got a gulp of air and then found my head submerged. I kept my eyes closed, and just as my lungs started to burn for oxygen, I was allowed upward. I sputtered and gasped as I came up, taking the air I could into my battered lungs.

I coughed a couple of times and my lungs rattled. I ignored it and just sat back up. I hauled myself up and looked back at Yumichika, "Thanks Yumichika! I got ta get back now though, my bandages dissolved in the water, so I got ta see If Hanataro will put more on."

"Alright." He grunted as he hauled himself upward, and walked towards me, and ducking out the door with his cloths.

I sighed, and ducked behind one of the screens where my clothes were located. Slipping my hospital gown back on, after I rung out my bust bandies, I trotted out the door. Yumichika just wordlessly escorted me out the front of the lobby thing, and then knelt down. He murmured a respectful, "Hop on, but watch my hair."

"You don't have to help me." I murmured back, but hopped on anyways. And just like that, we were off.

We didn't say another word, until we landed at the entrance to the fourth's hospital. We bid adieus and then I ventured back inside. When I came back to Ukitake's and mine's room and opened the door to step in. I froze, Unohana stood taking with Ukitake who was lying in his bed. "Oh Shit."

Unohana glared at me, "Get on the bed."

I didn't even object, I just went and hopped onto the bed and hung my head. Unohana blocked Ukitake's view of any of my womanly parts as she checked and rebandaged my wounds. She clucked her tongue in irritation, "You need to be more careful."

I sighed slightly, "I know, I know. What's the damage?"

She ran her hands over the now covered wounds and emitted a glowing light, "Well, not to extensive, you stressed the healing flesh a bit, however, you could have ruptured something or torn something!" the light was warm, like a summers day, and soothed my sides. "However, due to the fact you soaked the skin, I found the tissues more flexible and easier to heal now that they're already started. You may be out of here soon Mercedes, possible tomorrow or the next day."

I sighed happily and redressed myself, "Thank you Captain Unohana, now, can I get back to bed?"

"Yes, Yes." She helped me up and got me all situated in bed. When I was all snuggled in, she asked me, "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

Looking to Ukitake, who had since drifted off to a peaceful sleep with his fingers and lips twitching in his slumber. I looked back at her with a light smile, "Promise me I will be out in two days."

"Hm? Oh, it's nearing that time isn't it? Has it been three years already?" Unohana asked as she patted knee.

I nodded, "Four actually, and in three days is the anniversary. I promised myself that I'd be there. I need to be able to prepare for it…"

She patted my knee again and turned to leave, "I'll see what I can do. Goodnight Mercedes."

"Night…"

I snuggled down and clicked off the light as Unohana shut the door. I smiled a rueful smile, feelings that had long gone came back. When I would take the day off, no one would look for me. Only I knew where I was headed, and one day in the hopefully many years to come, I would find someone to share this with. For now, however, I would settle for a little alone time and sleep…


	8. Mayuri Knows

Kurotsuchi strolled proudly through the halls of the fourth; his destination was Captain Unohana's office. The officers went separate ways to avoid him, for fear of him using them for an experiment in the twelfth division. Rounding a corner, he came to the door that led to his objective; bursting through the door he came face to face with an empty office.

"Captain Mayuri, how may I help you?" Unohana called from the door, as she had just arrived back at her office.

Kurotsuchi stepped aside and allowed the lady captain to enter her office. He took a seat in one of the chairs that was across from Unohana's desk, and said Captain took a seat in her high backed chair. "I want to know how things are going. There are potential candidates, yes?"

"…Yes." Unohana agreed. "There is one. She is currently in my care due to an accident in training."

The Mad scientist widened his eyes slightly and asked in his raspy tone, "Her reproductive organs weren't harmed I hope? It would be a pain for me to have to take her to my lab and re-grow them so we could continue out little…"He paused. " Experiment. Not to mention it would be set back while I fixed her."

Unohana dipped her head slightly, "No irreversible harm was done. I was able to heal any of the damage done to her organs, however the surrounding tissue and muscles will be tender and in need of more healing and rest."

"Good, good, very good indeed."

There was a collective silence, broken only by the tapping of Kurotsuchi's long fingernail. Unohana sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose; she was tired after a long couple of days. Who knew that eleventh division members could possibly die from _practicing_? She needed to have a talk with the Head Captain Yamamoto about Captain Zaraki's training methods.

"May I see the subject?" Kurotsuchi asked with a tilt of his head. He wanted to confirm that the woman was correct or not.

Captain Unohana laid her hands on the desk, folding them over one and other neatly before she responded to Mayuri. "My patient is currently asleep. Could you not check in a more convenient hour?"

"I suppose I could," he held an elbow up with his left hand and waved his right though the air, "however, I am quite busy later, so I find that almost impossible to do."

Unohana sighed and stood, a frown marring her usually peaceful face, Kurotsuchi following her lead, "Very well. Lets do make this quick and quiet, I have Captain Ukitake sharing a room with her and I do not fancy him awaking to us there. He needs to rest if he wants to recover." With that said and done, she headed out the door with Mayuri in step beside her.

"Yes, yes, I shall be quick."

It did not take them long to arrive at the room. Pulling the rice paper door back, Unohana quickly stepped inside and out of the way to let Kurotsuchi in. He strode in silently, and walked to the bed. There lay Mercedes Corvette, the one he had come across as Unohana was going to administer the injection.

Reaching down, Mayuri pulled the blanked down roughly and parted her hospital kimono around her stomach area. He ran his long fingernail around the spot where the fetus would grow for a bit before finally laying his hand flat on her stomach. The girl, Mercedes he told himself, twitched as his cold hand invaded her personal space and scowled in her sleep. He felt around, feeling the slight tightness of her lower stomach and feeling the slight new spiritual pressure that his own could sense.

His face split into a wide, creepy grin. The fetus was already growing well, and it wouldn't be long before she would start showing _sever_ symptoms. However… it seems that the girl own spiritual pressure was affecting the fetus, so it was combined with all five. Wonderful!

His grin lowered slightly, and then picked it right back up again. It seemed, to his knowledge, that behind the first fetuses spiritual pressure, there was another, slightly fainter, but still strong. He delved deeper to see if he could make the small pressures do anything. Nope. Nada. He did however raise his grin even bigger then it was before, there was another, wedged between the two stronger ones, this one about even between the two. Triplets! He was going to keep his findings to himself, and let the idiotic doctor find out all on her own.

"Well?" Retsu asked as Kurotsuchi paused in the doorway on his way out.

"She is expecting as you had suspected." He nodded to her. "I expect that you with gather the three remaining captains needed and inform all four."

"Four?"

"I want her be here," He said with a sick grin, "when you inform the girl." Kurotsuchi turned on his heel and left down the hall, having found out all that he needed.

Unohana waited until he had left before letting a smile break out on her face, and after seeing his face, she knew that Mercedes was going to be the mother. She strode silently across the room and fixed the girls nightwear. Tucking the covered up back where they were, she gave Mercedes forehead a soft stroke to ease her still-there scowl and turned to leave. She stopped only to find a hand holding her sleeve.

"…'No'na?" Mercedes asked groggily.

"Shh…" Retsu hushed, "Go back to sleep Mercy."

Mercedes gave a sigh and left go of Unohana's sleeve as she slipped back to sleep. "M'kay…"

Retsu gave a small smile and left the room, both occupants snoring blissfully unaware of the company they had just hosted. Neither was aware, ether, of the stress the next couple of days would bring.


	9. Relapse of Health

I awoke when I heard a loud coughing sound. I raised a hand and wiped the sleep from my eyes when I yawned. Sitting up using my other arm, I opened one eye while resuming rubbing the other. "Captain?" I asked as I shifted so I was sitting on the edge of my temporary bed. I pulled my sleeping thing closed and lowered my arms. Captain Ukitake was coughing into a white cloth, his skin was paler then it was the day before, and it seemed he couldn't breathe. I slid out of bed and walked unsteadily over to him. He didn't seem to know I was up; his eyes were clouded with pain.

I slouched next to his bed and began rubbing his back in small circles. "Easy, Captain, easy now." I murmured softly too him. He kept coughing. The white cloth in his hand was beginning to stain red. I forced my spiritual pressure into a soothing tone and pushed it lightly into captain Ukitake. In the next second, my unoccupied hand filled with one of my swords. I used it to flip a switch to lower the bed to the floor, and I sank down beside it.

"**Toss me."** Setsuna whispered in my mind, **"I'll push it for you."**

I didn't respond, only flicked my wrist at the wall. Setsuna went sailing, and struck the edge of the button. It clicked. "_Thank you, Setsuna. Where's Elohcin?"_ I thought to my sword as I continued rubbing Ukitake's back soothingly.

It came as a phantom whisper, as if Setsuna was too tired for once to keep contact, "**Resting…**"

The captain in front of me gave a wheezing hack and spewed out a mouth full of blood. The rag was soaked, and was starting to drip down onto his sheets. I moved as fast as I could and pulled got a couple towels from a cupboard near, and went back to what I had been doing. I took the fresh white towel and replaced it in my hand with the bloody towel. I set it on the folded up towel next to me and started rubbing his back again.

"_Setsuna? Do you think that Mama's tea would help him?"_

"**Yes…"** she said to me again, **"I must… rest… replenishing your spiritual pressure is… tiring for us…"**

I nodded more to my self then her, but thought back, "_Okay, rest up. I hope you rest up good."_

The small and tired sounding Elohcin chimed in with her sister for the final time that day, **"Thank you… be careful."**

I smiled slightly as the door opened and in rushed Unohana with one of her subordinates. She looked tired and stressed. As Unohana looked at Ukitake in worry, I held up my free bloody hand and said, "Don't worry, Captain. He's gonna be fine, but I need you to fetch some things so can make my tea for him."

"Now," She started to object, "I don't think that tea will help this, he needs medical attention!"

"Lady Unohana…" I started. I never called her that; it fell weird… wrong some how… "My Mama used to use it when I would have my own bouts of illness. Trust me please, I'm not so vindictive as to harm someone when they can't fight back." I took a breath as Ukitake hacked again and a large crimson stain spread across the towel. "Please, let me handle him."

Unohana sighed and leaned up against the doorframe. She looked so tired, so… battle worn. "Against my better judgment and the rules, I'm going to let you, since you seem to have as much knowledge of this illness as me, and as you've dealt with it as your own health problem." She gave a long sigh again and stood upright. "Tell me what you need."

I smiled slightly at her and gave her my list of things I use in it. On a second thought, I asked her if she could bring a portable tea boiler or something I could use to boil it in. One of her unseated officers wrote the list down. "Oh!" I waved my bloody hand toward the cupboards and sink, "Do you think you can help me get some more towels and a small bowel of cool water please?"

"Sure." Unohana smiled at me tiredly and went to do that.

A moment later a pile of towels thumped down beside me, along with a small basin of water. Unohana took a seat next to me as switched the towels again. Ukitakes eyes seemed more focused, though he still wasn't slowing in his coughing. "Captain Ukitake, easy now." I murmured. The door flung open, and in came the unnamed officer who bowed and deposited my supplied in the floor near me. "Captain Unohana, can you keep a steady flow on his lungs please? I'm going to prepare his tea."

When she nodded and took my place, I quickly made up the tea and placed it on the small Bunsen burner like thing. It didn't take to long for it to be boiled and ready, about six or so minutes, but I did have to use my spiritual pressure to cool it down a bit before I let anyone drink it.

As I went back over to the two captains while holding the cup if tea, Captain Ukitake collapsed backward in to a panting, coughing heap. As I perched myself next to him, and having Captain Unohana move the tea closer, I set the cup down and lifted Ukitake from the shoulders up so I could slide under. Once I was under and he was resting peacefully in my lap, only then did I grab one of the smaller rags. I dampened it in the basin of cool water.

I ran the damp rag across his brow and cleaned the blood off his face and my hand. I wrung it out and re wet it before folding it and setting it across his forehead.

"You may be wondering why me, an eleventh division goon, is being caring, huh?" I asked as I wet another and began cleaning off what blood I could reach.

"Not at all Mercedes." Unohana said kindly, "I know that you are kind, other wise I would have never gotten those herbs that day."

I laughed slightly as I put down the rag, "True."

"I am wondering though, how do you know what to do?"

"The sickness that Captain Ukitake have is a rare strain of Tuberculosis, a disease brought on by being in bad environments and crowded places, though it can pop up randomly, like with me. I was always ill when I was younger, and Aerio would take care of me. I was usually awake during what ever it was that he did, so that's why I know. "I answered her.

I grabbed the cup of tea and tilted Ukitakes head so that his lips were at the brim of the cup. I parted his lips and poured some in. Using my fingers, I massaged his throat to let it run down. Repeating this, I eventually emptied the cup. Ukitake's face contorted into a grimace and he coughed lightly, so I brought my hand down and started massaging his chest while funneling small bits of soothing spirit particles into his abused lungs. "Shh… Easy now Captain, you'll feel better in a bit."

Unohana lay a hand on my shoulder, so I turned my head to face her, "Why are you in the eleventh? I know I've asked this numerous times, but after seeing your natural skill, you could make it easily here in the fourth."

I sighed and looked back to Ukitake before answering her, "I could never do well here. I'm not patient, and I think I would attack the first patient that whines to me."

"Then why-"

"With Captain Ukitake over here, I can sympathize as I've dealt with it myself." I answered her unasked question. "When can I get out of here?"

"You can go when you requested, though I require you back after your day alone. There are some things I need to speak with you about then." Unohana stood once she had stated that and looked down at me, "I'll send someone over to clean up, but Jushiro is asleep now. I think you should rest too Mercedes."

I nodded and lifted his head and shoulders before slipping out and lowering them down to the pillow. I stood and raised his bed up before turning to Unohana again. She was holding Setsuna, whom she must have found by the door, and was giving me a raised eyebrow look. I sheepishly turned to my bed. "I used her to push the button."

"I know."

I sighed as I slipped back into bed and looked up at the ceiling. Plain white and boring. I hate being in the fourth…

The door slid shut, signaling that Unohana had left, and that I was on my own. These next few days were going to be boring as hell. Sighing once more, I snuggled down into the sheets and drifted to sleep.


	10. Brotherly Funk

So I slept through most of the next day, but that happens when you're recovering your spiritual pressure. The only times I was awake, however, was when I had to use the restroom, and when I needed to eat. Other then that, it was a peaceful day, and while I was up on one of my few trips to the bathroom, I found out that Ukitake had been let out of the fourth after having been checked thoroughly, and was found to be fit as ever. So now, I had the room all to myself.

The next day, when I was able to leave, I found one of my uniforms washed, and draped over the bottom of the cot I was on along with a disposable brush and a hair-tie. Having hauled myself up, relieved myself and checked on the healing of my sides, I dressed myself and put my hair into a ponytail before strapping Settsuna and Elohcin to their proper spots.

Stretching, I let myself out of the room and wandered down the hall to the exit of the fourth. Unohana, however, intercepted me with a small-boxed lunch. "Take it easy, okay? You can sill strain yourself, so no running or flash stepping."

I nodded and took the lunch, "I'll be careful okay?"

She nodded, and as I turned to go off, I felt her hand grab mine. Something was pressed into my palm, and when I looked down, there was some money. "Buy him some flowers for me okay? And be back here before dark."

"Sure." And with that, I was sent off.

I did stop to buy the bundle of flowers, cosmos and something I didn't recognize, and took my time getting up here. It took me about three hours by walking. When I flopped down next to the grave that sat under a newly planted cherry blossom tree, I found that my swords were being unusually quiet. There was always a small humming in the back of my mind, but I guess its because they are just tired.

"Hey bro." I said softly to his grave in our native language, English, and set the flowers in front of the head stone. "Been four years huh? Well, technically its five now. The flowers are from Unohana, just so you know.

"Things have been odd lately. I've had lots of run-ins with Kurotsuchi as of late, and once is _way_ more then enough for one lifetime. I think that he and Unohana are plotting something, but I can't prove anything." I griped. Opening the lunch box, I found an American style ham and cheese sandwich and a large container of water and I just grinned. She knew just what to make. "I had to get this weird shot, and it felt like something other then liquid was put into me. Kinda like… if you got a splinter that you can't see, but you just _know_ its there.

"I've missed you bro. I made it to ninth seat about six, seven months ago, and you wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork I've taken up because no one else will do it. Yah I know, me doing paperwork? It would have never happened… but I changed when you died. Not a whole lot, but it was noticeable to me. And, I kinda forgot to tell you every time I came here that I got ninth seat.

"I'm also the best cook according to my squad, and you remember that tea mama taught us to make? Well I've found lots of uses for it. Curing hangovers is one of them. Aiding in the recovery of a medical crisis is another."

I took a bite out of the sandwich, and let myself stew a bit. Once I finished my sandwich, and had a few gulps of water, I sighed.

"I just got out of the fourth division. I got surprised, and two of my division members managed to get their swords stuck in my ribs. Then I had an attack. Yeah, the first one since we joined the academy."

I gave a wry laugh. "Now, I have to go back to the fourth when were done here for something. Things have indeed been going to hell." And then I just sat, and watched the scenery until the sun as it began to set.

I sighed. It was getting late now. I better go. "Alright, bro, I better go. I don't want Unohana to ride my ass for being late." I halted for a moment, "I might not even go…" I leaned to the side and planted a small kiss on the stone. "See ya next month bro."

When I was fairly far away, I looked up at the sky. Closing my eyes, I walked in silence, and tried to contact my swords.

'_Settsuna? Elohcin? Are you there?_'

'_**Yes…what do you need?'**_ they asked me.

' Nothing, I was just wondering if you all were okay. Ya'll were kinda quiet up on the hill.'

'_**We were letting you have the chance to think. Now, we must go, we are still drained.'**_

I sighed and looked forward. Back to being by myself again. I took my time getting there, I didn't exactly want to go back, but whatever. I found myself stalling at a cloths stall in the Rukon area. I fingered a bright blue cotton scarf. Such a lovely shade… oh well. I was really tempted to slip into the pub for a drink, but figured it better if I didn't. I really don't wana invoke the wrath of Unohana just yet.

I gave a hulking sigh. "I'm not going back tonight. Nope. Not happening." I said to myself. I walked on, even when I reached the seireitei, I kept going. I bypassed the Fourth division completely; I took a detour, and walked back to my division. Really, whenever I went to visit my brother, I didn't want to have any people contact for several hours. Usually it puts me in a funk, like it is right now.

'_If my brother were still here, I wouldn't be in this mess…_' I glumly thought to myself. '_Or would I?'_

When I got to my tree, everything was as it should have been, and when I crawled up into the tree and got my sleeping bag ready, I realized something. It was cold tonight. I furrowed my eyebrows and frowned. I just changed into my Pajamas up on the limb, and brushed my hair out too. When I got myself situated inside my sleeping bag and had my pillow ready, I reached over and snagged another blanket from my bag of never ending random things and my MP4. I set it to a soothing techno Opera song, and covered myself up as I settled myself in to ignore the doctor's orders. Oh, she was gonna be pissed.

"I had a feeling you'd be here." A familiar overly sweet voice chirped.


End file.
